Did you say cuddle parties!?!

Back sometime last year my old roommate, Erin, was telling me about cuddle parties. I was completely baffled by them, but yet curious. So, I googled cuddle parties, and here's what I found. Apparently, this isn't an adult version of Spin The Bottle or Seven Minutes In Heaven. In fact, Cuddle Parties have apparently been sweeping the nation! OK, so now that you're intrigued, please read more about this below, I basically grabbed all the info from the website.
Here's the skinny on cuddle parties...

• "It is an event for adults to get together and explore affectionate touch and communication without it becoming sexualized. At these events, we create the safe space to talk about and explore what our needs are as adults when it comes to affection, intimacy and welcomed touch. In other words, CUDDLING!"
• A structured, safe workshop on boundaries, communication, intimacy and affection. A drug and alcohol-free way to meet fascinating people in a relaxing environment. A laboratory where you can experiment with what makes you feel safe and feel good.
• This playful, fun workshop has been a place for people to rediscover non-sexual touch and affection, a space to reframe assumptions about men and women, and a great networking event to meet new friends, roommates, business partners and significant others.
• Can Cuddle Party restore your faith in humanity? It just might. But at the very least, you'll have a great time, and leave feeling relaxed and inspired.
• There's even a Cuddle LIFEGUARD on duty!
• These parties are hosted by people who invite people to get together to cuddle; some of these people coming together are perfect strangers.
• Oh, and there are rules!
  

The RULES!!!! (yup, there are actual rules to this)

WHAT TO WEAR: Pajamas - nothing too risque. Think more comfy than sexy. (More drawstrings, less lace! No shorts.)

WHAT TO BRING: A pillow or stuffed animal if you like. Juice or sparkling cider is always welcome. Sorry, no liquor folks. Otherwise, just bring your smiling self.

STICK TO THE RULES:

1. Pajamas stay on the whole time.
2. You don't have to cuddle anyone at a Cuddle Party, ever.
3. You must ask permission and receive a verbal YES before you touch anyone. (Be as specific in your request as you can.)
4. If you're a yes, say YES. If you're a no, say NO.
5. If you're a maybe, say NO.
6. You are encouraged to change your mind anytime you want.
7. Respect your relationship agreements and communicate with your partner.
8. Get your Cuddle Lifeguard On Duty or Cuddle Caddy if you have a question or concern or need assistance with anything during the Cuddle Party.
9. Tears and laughter are both welcome.
10. Respect people's privacy when sharing about Cuddle Parties and do not gossip.
11. Arrive on time.
12. Be hygienically savvy.

Thoughts???
I know after reading some of this you guys are thinking what the butt!?! And you have lots of questions. There's an FAQ section that I suggest checking out for more information.

But, one thing that I keep thinking about is this need for intimacy. We crave or desire intimacy so much that we have people out there who create parties so that one can obtain such desired intimacy. Furthermore, I keep thinking about one of Mark Miller's old sermon's re: we were created to have a legitimate need for intimacy with Our Creator, but we, at times, seek intimacy through illegitimate ways. Perhaps cuddle parties are the epitome of this illegitimate need for intimacy?

I find this whole thing VERY intriguing. I mean, going to a party wearing my pajamas and laying around hugging random people??? That's just creepy, in some ways, and I would submit that I'm someone who's pretty affectionate and doesn't mind receiving hugs or giving hugs, but spooning with people I don't know or going to a social event so that I can spoon seems creepy. But is it? I don't know. I once heard that humans need at least 7 touches a day or something like that. And, certainly, this party would give you a full week's worth of touches. It's definitely something, um, different.

What are your thoughts about this?

Has anyone gone to a cuddle party?

Would anyone out there actually go to cuddle party?

Running away

I can't recall how many times I thought about running away as a kid. The one time I can actually remembering running away I was either 5 or 6. I remember being really upset with my mom. Like crying then threatening I would run away; then I went into to my bedroom and packed my stuff. I actually got a stick and tied bandanna on it, I put a few things in it. Then I walked out the front door, of course sniffing and making a scene... my last words being "Bye. I'm NEVER coming back!" [Then I think I heard I Will Survive playing as background music.] The hobo like run away stick sat over my little shoulders as I turned around hoping my mom would come after me.

A few seconds later, my mom followed me trying to convince me to come back, of course I'm pretty sure she was trying not to laugh because I had the hobo stick on my shoulder. She said something about the 'Boogie Man' would be out there lurking around the corners, THAT was someone who definitely scared me a bit. But I remember that I was VERY determined to run away with my hobo stick. I'm not sure why I thought to make one of those hobo / run away stick-bandanna things, but I did. Perhaps I watched Tom and Jerry too much? Regardless, me and my hobo stick made it a couple houses up the street. I'm not sure if I knew where I was going to go, but I think as soon as my mom turned around and walked back inside the house after she unsuccessfully tried to convince me to come back, was surprisingly the exact moment that I decided to saunter back home. I had made a scene, a VERY dramatic one.

I think I still contemplate running away. Strange to think someone in her late 20s really has thought about just leaving and running away from it all. The thought has crossed my mind a few times especially when I drive east on I-70 to DIA (Denver Int'l Airport) I think about driving back home to Oklahoma instead of picking up my friend or catching my flight\; and, running away from responsibility here in Denver. Starting over. Hmm, more like returning back to my vomit, albeit.

I think we run away, perhaps not physically per se, but rather from things in life when it gets too hard. We close off from people; stop showing up to things like church or meetings, or perhaps even not returning phone calls or emails. Avoiding is a form of running. I know, I invented it. The times I've run or thought about running like being mad at my mom when I was kid, or work or life in Denver gets too rough and I just want to bail and go back home. Running. I"m really just running away from what's difficult and challenging.

You know those people who have that glamorous adventurous life (hopping from one country to the next or city to city stateside) perhaps they are really just running away? From what? Being an adult? Settling down? Fear of failure in life? Fear of being sucked into the 'American Dream' and sitting behind a desk all day long? However, I still admire them, and would love to join them, again.

Me and my hobo stick are far from running these days. I will face life's challenges. I think Visa once said something about going where life takes you or something along those lines.

I'm going, not running (away).

Two-faced kitten born, Hello Kitty fears competition

Recently, a kitten was born in Oregon with two faces. Gemini, the two-faced kitty, has two mouths, two noses, two sets of eyes and two ears and two-quasi tongues.

"If she eats, nurses and what not then she'll be fine," says Patsy McGrew, a local vet. "But the fact of the matter is she doesn't know which mouth to nurse with and the whole quasi-two tongue thing... it's just very confusing for her."

After only hours being born, Gemini received several requests from over 30 agents before committing to one. "I'm thrilled to give lil' Gemini some direction. I hope she'll blossom into a real star, possibly her own line of cute little asian products," tells Mackie Goldwing, Gemini's agent.

Sources say Goldwing allured Gemini with catnip.

With all of the hype and media attention, Hello Kitty fears competition. In fact, today there was a poll taken and it reported that Gemini has more 'face value' than Hello Kitty.

Spokeswoman for Hello Kitty, Cathy Levine, adds, "Hello Kitty will continue to market her products to young girls across the world. We've been through this before with Garfield back in the mid-eighties, and Gemini will be just another cat fad, just like the rest."

"Psssshht, whateva. Ya know they [Hello Kitty Reps] are you scared of the competition. Perhaps this will mean 'Goodbye Kitty' for a certain someone," says Goldwing.

Hello Kitty wasn't able to comment due to the fact that she has no mouth, sadly; she just waved to her fans who were chewing her gum, which only lasts 2 seconds.

FOUND!

Back in February I went to the Grizzly Rose for Beth's birthday party. Now Grizzly is a country bar with two-steppin' and rocky mountain oysters. We all had a ball! I'm not a fan of country anything... but nevertheless I enjoyed the night with friends.

As my friend, Carole, and I walked out the Grizzly I found this picture on the ground and kept it. I LOVE it!

the front...

the back...

the faded part reads: Ur lil sister Nancy A

Which one (in the picture) do you think is Nancy?
	Left
	Right
	Neither
	I don't give a rip...
Free polls from Pollhost.com

Age-defying protein shake enhances young woman's leg pressing ability

DENVER, Colo. (June 2, 2006) -- On June 1, 2006, at the 23 Hour Fitness, Stephanie, age 28, became the second human being on earth to leg press 2000 pounds! For the past 3 days she has been taking an 'age-defying protein shake' that is believed to have given her the power to lift so much weight.

"Whew! After drinking those age-defying protein shakes, I noticed that I was so much stronger," exclaimed Stephanie. "Ya know, I never thought I could lift as much as I did last night!"

Stephanie got the idea from Pat Robertson, who just announced last week that he had leg pressed 2000 pounds because of his age-defying protein shake. http://www.cbn.com/communitypublic/shake.asp

After downloading the recipe for age-defying protein shakes, Stephanie spent 3 days in a row ingesting the squalid protein shake.

"At first it made me gag, but eventually I was able to force it down. It's hard to drink something that tastes so similar to bung-hole," boasts Stephanie. "But, I got the courage from Pat.. if he can do it, then I certainly can!"

This is the first time in years that Stephanie has leg pressed; April 8, 1998, was the last reported leg press that Stephanie did prior to June 1, 2006. She told reporters and trainers that she is undeniably retiring from leg pressing just like break dancing; nevertheless, there is talk that she will write a book about her leg pressing experience (expected to hit the bookstores late July 2006).

"I feel like a super human or something now! Dreams do come true!"

###

I'm so over 'buzzness' words....

for many you folks out there you work for small businesses, large corporations or nonprofits (like me). There's a culture in the work place where the words you say can make or break you. It seems after a conference, training or meeting people come away with, what I like to call, 'buzzness' words. Buzz words used to impress business-type folks.

Below are a few examples... mind you I work for a nonprofit so I know some words, but i'm sure many you out there know way more than I do. If you just pay attention in a meeting you'll hear your colleagues, especially those that like to hear themselves talk, share those lovely 'buzzness' words. Or, perhaps you can actually read work related emails for once and pick-up on that work lingo/jargon/buzz words! Better yet, just watch The Apprentice they are all about those words.

'Buzzness' words

1. synergy (or synergize) - so dumb! what does it really mean? "we need to create some synergy around this [whatever]... " so over that word!
2. seamless (e.g. "we want to make this a 'seamless' transition... ") what? are we a tailor or seamstress now? okay then, i'm going to knit this project, so no worries.
3. organic - maybe this is a Colorado thing?
4. expedite - yup, totally over it!
5. disseminate - so yeah, again, done with this one! e.g. we need to disseminate this information...
6. critical - really? how critical is it?
7. strategic - i'm sooo guilty of using this one!
8. leverage - again, guilty!
9. implement - oh geez, super guilty here!
10. integrated - well, crap! i LOVE that one, but i'll have to let this word go, just like the rest of them!


I could go on and on, but I won't; please feel free to list your 'buzzness' words on the comment section. It's okay to admit that you use these words, too. Like me, I know firsthand how using 'buzzness' words make you actually sound like you know what the heck you're talking about it. Seriously, I do.
I challenge you guys to go through a meeting, presentation, etc and not use a 'buzzness' word.

cringing, ralphing and confessions of chunk

remember the scene in goonies when chunk confesses everything he ever did? he basically spills his guts. most memorable is when he confessed that he made a fake ralphing noise then dropped fake puke over the balcony at the movie theatre... for some reason i think of that scene as i think of myself things i've said and the way i acted and responded to life, people, etc it makes me cringe. and at times i want to chuck all over the place. lovely thought, isn't it?

i cringe at the mere thought of not loving people the way i've been called to.... that's probably the reason why i cringe at so many things...

i cringe at the stupid things i've said on dates... or to guys i've crushed on... or the reasons why i stopped liking someone...

i cringe at the way i've treated my family over the past 25 years or so... they are the hardest for me to love...

i cringe when i think of how many times i pretend not to see the homeless guy on the corner holding a sign that reads: "Anything Helps! God Bless"

i cringe when i throw away tons of rotten food; i didn't eat all of it and it went sour. millions are dying of starvation in africa and here i am throwing away spoiled food... i suck!

i cringe when i remember someone from my childhood that i chose to ignore or make fun of... i had no idea how mean i was then... how we were then... how i can be... how we all can be. mean people suck!

i cringe when i think of how many hours i've wasted looking for things on craigslist... i'm always looking for something... car, housing, furniture, etc. will i ever be content with the things i already have?

i cringe... oh, how i cringe at so many things...

i know many of you are reading this and are thinking, steph, this is all forgiven, quit beating yourself up already! SHEESH!!! you're right... but i confess all of this because i know if i don't then it will continue to make me cringe and puke. maybe chunk's confessions were far from being contrite, he just didn't want his fingers to be blended to death or chopped off. i like my fingers and I don't want them blended either, but i must say it feels good get these off of my chest! i hope you all know i'm not beating myself up, i know my shortcomings and i believe in the power of redemption and healing. i really do!

please feel free to confess your cringes, if you will.

i'm off to sunny socal in a.m. for the week... we'll see if there's time to blog.